I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a snowmobile designed to make the driver perceive that it is moving faster than it actually is traveling, and more particularly to a snowmobile which is small in size and lightweight and which makes the driver feel he is traveling at a high speed because he is positioned closer to the ground than in conventional designs.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
Snowmobiles are generally designed to run at a relatively high speed on roads or over open fields. The conventional snowmobile is normally constructed of an elongated integral frame, a pair of steerable skis disposed below and mounted on the front end of the frame, a drive track positioned below and to the rear end of the frame, an engine disposed beneath a cowl on the front portion of the frame for driving the drive track through a suitable transmission, and a driver's seat installed toward the rear of the frame and above the drive track. Where the snowmobile of the above construction is to be operated in more confined spaces, such as in the backyard of a typical residence, the snowmobile may be reduced in size. Even if the snowmobile were reduced in size, however, it could not be driven in the smaller area at the same high speed as it would be when traversing an open field. Therefore, a conventional snowmobile would fail to make the driver feel as if he is moving fast nor would he experience the same exhilaration.
It is known that a person driving a vehicle will feel he is moving at a faster speed when the position of his eyes is lowered relative to the ground, even though the actual speed of travel of the snowmobile is somewhat reduced. Based upon this knowledge, it has been proposed that the position of the engine, which is normally in front of the driver and which would obstruct the driver's view if his position is lowered, be shifted to the rear of the frame with the drive track being located behind the seat so that the seat may be lowered. (See U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,872.) With the engine disposed on the rear end of the frame, however, the drive track disposed below the frame imposes a serious limitation on the extent to which the position of the driver's seat may be lowered. As a consequence, the prior art snowmobile over which the present invention is an improvement still fails to give the driver the feeling or impression of moving faster than he actually is.
Furthermore, if the stroke or vertical movement of the ski suspension system on the snowmobile is reduced to obviate the limitation imposed by the location of the drive track in an attempt to lower the driver's seat, then the riding comfort of the vehicle will be impaired. For the reasons described above, the snowmobile design reflected in U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,872 has proved somewhat unsatisfactory.